Defenders try to thwart recall in wake of Kelly Thomas death

Fullerton Mayor F. Richard Jones listens as Ron Thomas, father of Kelly Thomas, speaks at a recent City Council meeting. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

FULLERTON – Supporters of three City Council members facing a possible recall election following the controversial death of a homeless man have launched a campaign of their own.

A planning commissioner, a former assemblyman and businessmen are taking steps to counter the recall effort of council members who have been heavily criticized by some since Kelly Thomas was severely injured by police officers investigating possible car burglaries July 5; the mentally ill 37-year-old died five days later.

Signatures are being collected in the front of local grocery stores to put the recall of Mayor F. Richard Jones and Councilmen Pat McKinley and Don Bankhead onto a future ballot. Critics say they have protected the police officers involved in the death. Also, the recall group's website, fullertonrecall.com, says the trio has failed to provide leadership.

The new campaign – "Protect Fullerton – Recall No"– accuses recall organizers of "using the tragic death of a schizophrenic homeless man to settle old political grudges" and to "overturn last November's election to gain control of the City Council."

A former assemblyman, Dick Ackerman, is among the anti-recall organizers. For now, the group is spreading its word via email, a brochure and on a website, protectfullerton-recallno.com. The site asks residents to not sign a recall petition.

Recall organizer Chris Thompson, a member of the Fullerton School District, has said the three councilmen, because of their support of the Fullerton Police Officers' Association, have put the security of officers involved in the altercation with Thomas along with the police union ahead of the security of residents.

"I would certainly disagree with Chris that the union is the responsible party," Bennett said. "If there is any officer misconduct, no union will be able to protect them from that."

Backed by activist Tony Bushala, recall organizers have also accused the council members of fiscal irresponsibility by voting in favor of what they call an illegal tax on water rates and supporting the Fullerton Redevelopment Agency, which they say results in less revenue to the general fund.

"They are so far down the power curve of reality, it's ridiculous," Councilman McKinley said. "You will never find anybody more fiscally conservative than this council is now."

McKinley, a former Fullerton police chief, said Bushala "has been a bully in this city for years."

The anti-recall site also calls Bushala a bully and says he has gotten a sweat-heart development deal or two in town: "Bushala has made a fortune on projects in Fullerton's redevelopment area."

Bennett said Bushala funded negative campaigns against McKinley and Jones in past council elections and the recall campaign is a continuance of his "personal vendetta."

But Bushala, who owns several properties in Fullerton, said: "I've never taken a penny from redevelopment."

Bushala said his campaign against Jones in the last election was simply to point out that "12 years (on the council) was enough. ... They are not addressing the issues," Bushala said. "They are attacking me personally."

Bushala runs a local blog, Friends of Fullerton's Future, which has been extremely critical of the city's handling of the Kelly Thomas case.

The recall effort has until Feb.16 to gather 10,554 qualified signatures – 15 percent of Fullerton voters – for each council-member petition. If successful, the three ballot items would be in front of voters in an election; the date has not been determined.

Fullerton Mayor F. Richard Jones listens as Ron Thomas, father of Kelly Thomas, speaks at a recent City Council meeting. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
With members of the media recording, Fullerton School Board member Chris Thompson, right, and Tony Bushala, a local activist, formerly file a notice of intention to recall three members of the Fullerton City Council with Assistant City Clerk Mea Klein at City Hall last month. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chryss O'Raidy of Norwalk and Tony Bushala of Fullerton hold hands as "Kelly's Army" protest in front of the Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas's office in Santa Ana earlier this month. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chryss O'Raidy of Norwalk and Tony Bushala of Fullerton hold hands as "Kelly's Army" protest in front of the Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas's office in Santa Ana earlier this month. ////ADDITIONAL INFO: - 08_n.thomas.DA.ks - Date Photographed: 9/8/11 - Time of day: 11:37:01 AM - Original File Name _KSA0287.NEF - KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER -- We must let him know that we will not go away, and that he must do the right thing. KEN STEINHARDT,
Pat McKinley, councilmember and former chief of the Fullerton Police Department, listens last month as members of the public put much of the blame for Kelly Thomas' death on him and his running of the department when he was chief. McKinley retired as chief in May 2009. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fullerton residents and others fill the hallways outside the Fullerton City Council meeting last month to watch public comments on the death of Kelly Thomas on television. PHOTO GALLERY BY BETTY TALBERT, LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fullerton councilman Don Banhead is one of three council members who are the targets of a recall campaign.

1 of

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.